A heightened campaign against illegal activities as well as increased police visibility contributed to a 28 percent decline in index crimes in the province in 2025, data from the Catanduanes Provincial Police Office showed.
Overall, the number of crimes decreased from 802 in 2024 to 718 last year or 10.47% less, with only 86 index crimes recorded during the period or a reduction of 34 cases.
Compared to 2024 which saw three murder and two homicide cases, there were none at all in 2025, the yearly accomplishment report submitted by Catanduanes Police Provincial Director PCol. Elmer R. Cereno to the PNP Bicol regional office indicated.
The number of physical injury incidents. However, increased slightly from 13 to 15 while rape cases more or less stayed the same at 35, one less than 2024’s 36 incidents.
Robberies rose by 50 percent from 10 to 15 last year while only two carnapping incidents involving motorcycles and motor vehicles were recorded, compared to the 2024 total of eight (8).
The same report also showed that non-index crimes dwindled slightly to 326 from the previous year’s 365, nearly half of the 39-case drop contributed by the decline in attempted or frustrated homicides that fell from 24 to just seven last year.
Although the local police 10 fewer violations of special laws at 253, the Public Safety Index remained alarming with fatalities in vehicular accidents rising from seven to 11 cases last year.
But there were fewer injuries at 129 while damage to property almost remained the same at 166.
As a result, the Average Monthly Crime Index significantly decreased from 23 in 2024 to 21 last year, the Camp Francisco Camacho report said.
In the campaign against illegal drugs, the Catanduanes police mounted a total of 31 operations, seven more than the 24 in 2024, resulting in the arrest of 32 individuals and the seizure of 41 grams of marijuana and 160 grams of shabu valued at a total of P1,092,347.52.
In the effort to preserve remaining forestlands and wetlands, the local police arrested 54 violators and seized 1,912 board feet of undocumented lumber, six chainsaws, five units of topdown tricycles and a chainsaw engine in 30 operations.
The campaign against illegal fishing also netted 68 suspects in 25 operations, with P786,860 worth of items confiscated.
The local police also nabbed 159 individuals in the anti-illegal gambling effort, with P49,847 in bet money seized as evidence.
A total of 246 wanted persons were collared by law enforcers last year, including 16 regional most wanted persons, 18 provincial MWPs, 11 municipal MWPs and one District/City MWP.
The campaign against loose firearms also bore fruit, with a total of four (4) firearms confiscated, 47 more surrendered along with nine (9) explosives.
Fifteen (15) guns with expired registrations were turned in for safekeeping while two persons were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The CATPPO awarded a total of 44 medals to outstanding police officers as well as more than 53,000 letters of commendation and recognition to 128 police officers.
The 2025 report came after the CATPPO topped the Bicol Unit Performance Evaluation Ratings for December 2025 over five other provincial offices and one city police office, leading the next ranked police office by 4.682 points.
It garnered the Number 1 spot in the region-wide Unit Performance Evaluation Rating (UPER) for the month with a score of 87.895% and was the only police provincial office in the region to earn the “Outstanding” adjectival rating for the month.
“This achievement reflects the collective hard work of our personnel and the strong support of the Catandunganon community. This further reaffirms CATPPO’s commitment to excellence in serving and protecting the ‘Happy Island,'” said PCol. Cereno.
The UPER is a standardized measurement of a unit’s efficiency in operations, administration, and police-community relations.